CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
RECAPTURED--AN UNEXPECTED RESCUE.
"Whence do you come and where are you going, mes amis?" asked thesergeant of the guard, addressing Tom, who was nearest him.
"What's that you say, old chap?" said Tom, forgetting the strict ordershe had received to hold his tongue.
"Ah, what language is that?" exclaimed the sergeant, holding up hislantern and examining the sailor's countenance. "You are not aFrenchman, I'll vow." He turned from one to the other, looking in thefaces of each. "Why, I believe these are the very men we were orderedto search for. Seize them all. Take care that none escape. There arefive of them, the very number we were told of, and one, the traitor, wehave already got. Can any of you speak French? though I doubt it."
"Should you be satisfied, monsieur sergeant, if we do speak French, andbetter French than many of the people about here?" asked Rayner. "Ifso, will you let us go on our journey? do we look like English sailors?"
"I don't know how English sailors generally look," said the sergeant,gruffly, and rather taken aback at being suddenly addressed in his ownlanguage. "You certainly have the appearance of overseers, or people ofthat sort, but your countenances betray you. I am not to be deceived.Bring them along into the guard-room."
In vain Rayner pleaded that he and his companions were in a hurry toproceed on their journey.
They were dragged into the building, and a guard with fixed bayonets wasplaced over them. For the remainder of the night they had to sit on ahard bench, with their backs against the wall, sleeping as well as theycould in so uncomfortable a position. At daybreak the next morningSergeant Gabot, by whom they had been captured, entering the room,ordered the guard to bring them along into the presence of CaptainDupuis. The seamen, imitating their officers, quietly followed thesergeant, who led the way to a room in the same building. Here CaptainDupuis, a fierce-looking gentleman wearing a huge pair of moustaches,and a long sword by his side, was found seated at a table with two otherofficers.
He cast his eye over the prisoners and inquired their names. Here was apuzzle, for neither Rayner nor Oliver had thought of assuming Frenchones. They, therefore, without hesitation, gave their own, as did Jack.
"Please, sir, what does the chap say?" asked Brown, when the officeraddressed him.
"He wishes to know your name," said Oliver.
Captain Dupuis, twirling his moustaches, took them down as well as hecould.
"These names do not sound like those of Frenchmen," he said.
"And such we do not pretend to be," replied Rayner, stepping forward."We found it necessary to assume these disguises for the sake ofescaping from prison. We are not spies, and have no desire to injureFrance or Frenchmen except in open warfare."
He then gave an account of their object in approaching the coast and theway in which they had been so unwillingly compelled to land.
"I am inclined to believe you, monsieur," said Captain Dupuis, morepolitely than at first. "But my duty is to convey you to Port Louis,where my regiment is stationed, and the colonel will decide on yourcase. We will march directly."
Captain Dupuis appeared not to be ill-disposed, for he ordered somebreakfast to be brought to them in the hall.
"Thank you for your kindness, monsieur," said Rayner. "With yourpermission we will put on our proper dresses, which are contained inthese bundles."
"Assuredly you have my leave. It will show the people that we have twoEnglish officers in captivity, as well as some of their men, andprobably the report will be spread that an English frigate and her crewhave been taken," observed the captain, laughing.
"Well, I do feel more like myself now," exclaimed Brown, as he put onhis shirt and jacket, and tied his black handkerchief in a lover's knotround his throat.
Rayner and Oliver, though they did not say so, felt very much as theirmen did, thankful to throw off their disguises.
As soon as they had finished breakfast, the soldiers fell in, theprisoners being placed in the centre, and with the captain at their headthey commenced their march to the southward.
It was not until late in the evening that they arrived at theirdestination. There were three old-fashioned forts, one intended tosupport the other, commanding the entrance of the bay.
Rayner and Oliver, as they approached, took note of their position, andthey remarked that the water appeared to be deep close up to the heightson which the forts were situated. In the largest were severalbuildings, the residence of the commandant, the barracks, and a smalledifice with strongly-barred windows, which they soon discovered to be aprison.
They were halted in front of these buildings, while the captain went into make his report to the commandant. After waiting some time they weremarched in between guards with fixed bayonets.
Their examination was very similar to that which they had before gonethrough. Rayner and Oliver, however, hoped that their account ofthemselves would be believed, and that they would, even at the worst,only be detained as prisoners-of-war. Still, they did not quite likethe looks of the commandant, who was evidently of a more savagedisposition than his subordinate. He glared at the English, anddeclared they he believed they were capable of the most abominable actsof treachery and deceit.
Rayner replied calmly, and pointed out how improbable it was that he andhis companions should have landed for any sinister object.
"If you come not as spies yourselves, you come to land French spies.Miscreant traitors to their country!" exclaimed the commandant. "One ofthem has been caught. Death will be the penalty of his crime. Bringforward the witnesses."
As he spoke the soldiers stepped aside and two black seamen were ledforward. Rayner recognised them as the most ruffianly of the schooner'screw. First one, and then the other, swore that the vessel had beensent to the coast for the purpose of landing some French spies, that theschooner was to wait for them, and then when they had gained informationas to the strength of the forts and vessels in the harbours they were toreturn to the frigate.
In vain Rayner explained the truth. The commandant scornfully answeredthat he could not believe an English officer upon his oath, that heshould send a report of their capture to Leogane, and that for his parthe hoped that he should have orders to shoot them all forthwith.
The mock examination terminated, they were marched away to the prison onthe other side of the fort. The door being opened, they wereunceremoniously thrust in, one after the other, and it was closed behindthem. As it was by this time growing dusk, and there were only small,narrow windows close under the roof, they were left in almost perfectobscurity, so that they could not venture to move from the spot wherethey stood. As, however, their eyes got accustomed to the gloom, theyfound that they were in a room about twelve or fourteen feet square, thefloor and sides being of roughly hewn stone. Round it ran a stonebench, just above which they could see several massive iron rings fixedin the walls.
"While we have light we had better pick out the cleanest spots we canfind," said Oliver. "We shall be kept here to-night, at all events, andthe surly commandant will not allow us any luxuries."
As they moved a few paces forward, they saw three persons chained to thewall at the farther end of the room.
"Who are you?"
"Alas! alas!" exclaimed one of them, leaning eagerly forward; and theyrecognised Le Duc's voice. "Ah, messieurs, you will understand the lesssaid the better as to the past."
Rayner took the hint, guessing that Le Duc was unwilling to haveanything said in the presence of the two other prisoners which mightimplicate Madame La Roche or Francois.
"You have heard, messieurs, that they have condemned me to death,"continued Le Duc, "and the wonder is that they have not shot me already,but I know that at any moment I may be led out. I should wish to livethat I may play the fiddle and make others happy as well as myself."
"I am very sorry to hear this. If the commandant would believe us, wecan prove your innocence, and, surely, our word ought to be takeninst
ead of that of the two blacks," said Rayner.
"So it would, according to law, for the evidence of the blacks is worthnothing, and is not received in a court of justice. It proves that thecommandant has resolved, at all costs, to wreak his hatred of theEnglish on your heads."
Rayner and Oliver seated themselves on the stone bench near him. Themen had drawn together on the opposite corner. Le Duc narrated how hehad been captured just as he was quitting the village. His great fearhad been lest he should be compelled to betray them; and he declared toRayner, who believed him, that he would have undergone any torturerather than have done so.
Le Duc whispered that the two other prisoners had been condemned formurder.
"Pleasant sort of companions," observed Oliver. "We may as well letthem have their side of the prison to themselves."
The men in the meantime had scraped the seat as clean as they could withtheir knives.
Tom, as usual, began to grumble.
"We must take the rough and the smooth together," observed Jack. "I amhungry enough myself, and I hope the mounseers don't intend to starveus, though maybe we shan't get roast beef and plum pudding."
"Don't talk of it," cried Brown; "I could eat half an ox if I had thechance."
While they were talking the door opened, and a man appeared, carrying alantern and a pitcher in one hand, and a basket in the other, which heplaced on the bench near them.
The pitcher contained water, and the basket some very brown,heavy-looking bread, with a couple of tin mugs. Having allowed theother prisoners to drink, and given each of them a piece of bread, hehanded the basket with its contents to the Englishmen.
"You Anglais like ros' beef. Here you eat this. Good enough for you,"he said, in a surly tone.
They were all too hungry to refuse the bread or the water, which, inspite of its brackish taste, quenched the thirst from which they hadlong been suffering.
Their gaoler left them the lantern, in order that they might see how todivide the bread. It assisted them also to select places on which tostretch themselves round the room, and, in spite of the hardness oftheir couches, in a short time were all asleep.
Some more bread and water was brought them in the morning, and a similarunpalatable meal was provided in the afternoon. This was evidently tobe their only food during their imprisonment. They had no one tocomplain to, no means of obtaining redress; so, like wise men, they madeup their minds to bear it, though Tom grumbled and growled all day longat the way in which he was treated.
Rayner supposed that the commandant was waiting for a reply to thereport he had sent to Leogane. Until that could arrive, no changeeither for the better or worse was likely to be made in their treatment.
Le Duc was still allowed to live; but, in spite of his high spirits, thefeeling that he might at any moment be led out and shot was telling uponhim. The two officers and Jack did their best to encourage him, and,under the circumstances, it was wonderful how he kept up. In theevening the gaoler appeared with their usual fare.
"There will be one less of you to feed to-morrow," he growled out,looking at Le Duc, "and I can't say but that you five others mayn't haveto join him company, for while the firing party are out it is as easy toshoot six as one."
Le Duc made no answer, but bent his head down on his manacled hands. Itwas the first sign of deep emotion he had exhibited.
"I hope the fellow is only trying to alarm you for the purpose ofexercising his own bad feelings," said Rayner, after the surly gaolerhad gone.
Again left in darkness, they prepared to pass another disagreeablenight. Rayner felt that their position was critical in the extreme. Heand his companions, accused as they were of being spies, might be ledout at any moment and shot. He therefore considered it his duty toprepare his companions as best he could for the worst. Oliver he knewwas as ready to die as he was himself. He spoke earnestly andfaithfully to the others, pointing out the unspeakable importance ofbeing prepared to stand in the presence of the Judge of all men. He wasthankful to hear Jack's reply, which expressed the simple hope of theChristian--faith in Christ as a Saviour; but the other two were silent.
After Rayner and his companions had talked for some time they stretchedthemselves on the bench to try and obtain some sleep. That was moreeasily sought for than found, for no sooner were they quiet thancountless creatures began to sting, and bite, and crawl over them. Tomwas continually slapping himself, and moaning and groaning.
But, in spite of their hard stone couches and the attacks of theinsects, they did manage to drop off occasionally.
Rayner's eyes had been closed some time when he was awakened by the dullroar of a gun fired from seaward. He started up, as did his companions.
"Where did that come from?" exclaimed Oliver.
Before Rayner could answer, the sound of eight or nine guns, a sloop'swhole broadside, was heard, followed by the crash of the shot as theystruck the fortification.
In an instant the whole fort was in an uproar, the officers shoutingtheir orders to the men, and the men calling to each other, as theyrushed from their quarters to the ramparts. They had evidently beenfound napping, for before a single gun had been discharged from thefort, the shot from another broadside came plunging into it.
The game, however, was not to be all on one side. The Frenchmen's gunswere heard going off as fast as they could get their matches ready.They could easily be distinguished by the far louder noise they made.Those from the two other forts at the same time could be heard firingaway. Cries and shrieks rose from wounded men, and a loud explosion, asif a gun had burst, rent the air.
"The vessel attacking is a corvette," cried Rayner. "She must have runclose in for her shot to strike in the way they are doing. It is a boldenterprise, and I pray she may be successful for her sake as well asours."
"Can she be the _Ariel_ or _Lily_?" asked Oliver.
"Whichever she is, the attempt would not have been made without goodhope of success," remarked Rayner.
"I wish that we were out of this, and aboard her," exclaimed Jack.
"So do I," cried Brown. "I don't like being boxed up here while suchwork is going on. Couldn't we manage to break out?"
"We are safe here, and we'd better remain where we are," said Tom; "onlyI hope none of those round shot will find their way into this place."
On the impulse of the moment Jack and Brown made a rush at the door, butit was far too strongly bolted to allow them to break it open. Theother prisoners sat with their hands before them, hoping probably, asTom did, that no shot would find its way among them.
Rayner and Oliver looked up at the windows near the roof, but they werestrongly-barred and too narrow to enable a grown man to squeeze throughthem. To sit down quietly seemed impossible. They stood thereforelistening, and trying to make out by the sounds which reached their earshow the fight was going. Presently some more guns were heard comingfrom the sea.
"There must be another vessel!" exclaimed Rayner. "Hark! she must beengaging the upper fort. I thought that one would scarcely venturesingly to attack the three forts."
The roar of the artillery continued. Suddenly there burst forth a loudthundering sound. The ground beneath their feet shook, the wallstrembled, and the roof seemed about to fall on their heads, while theglare of a vivid flame penetrating through the windows lighted up thewhole interior of the building, shrieks, groans, and cries echoingthrough the fort.
The magazine had blown up. It was a wonder that the prison itself hadnot been hurled to the ground.
"Thank Heaven, we have escaped!" exclaimed Oliver.
The attacking vessels still continued firing, and after a short intervalthe fort once more replied, but evidently with fewer guns than before.
A crash was heard over their heads, and down fell a mass of timber,plank, and tiles just above the door. Looking up, the clear sky couldbe seen, from out of which a crescent moon shone brightly.
No one was injured, for the shot, having torn its way throug
h the roof,had fallen outside.
"Hurrah! thanks to that shot, we may make our escape out of this, forthe Frenchmen are too much engaged at the guns to see us!" cried Jack."Let us get down to the shore, and when we are once there we may manageto find our way aboard the ship. The chances are we shall find somefishing boat or other on the beach. May we try, sir, what we can do?"
"What do you say, Oliver? Shall we make the attempt Jack proposes?"asked Rayner. "If we go we must take Le Duc with us, I wish that wecould find something to knock off his chains, and we might set the otherpoor fellows at liberty."
To climb out would be no difficult matter, as Brown found that bystanding on Tom's and Jack's shoulders he could reach the lower part ofthe roof. But Rayner positively refused to go without first setting LeDuc at liberty. He told Brown to try and dislodge a piece of stone fromthe wall with which they might break the prisoners' chains.
Suddenly Tom recollected that he had stowed away one of the files whichLe Duc himself had brought in his pocket.
"Hand it here," cried Rayner; and heat once began filing away.
In the meantime Brown managed to get hold of one of the upper stones ofthe wall. It was hard, and had a sharp side.
"Here it is, sir," he said, clambering down and bringing it to Rayner.A few blows on the bench served to sever the link already partly filedthrough.
"Oh! set us free, monsieur?" cried the other prisoners.
"What does he say?" asked Brown.
"There won't be time to set you both free, but I'll see what I can dofor one of you;" and he began filing away, and with the help of thestone he managed to liberate the arm of one of the men.
"Here, take the file and see what you can do for your comrade," he said.
The rest of the party had in the meantime begun to mount the wall.